I Didn't Know
by kclrox11
Summary: When Katara and Zuko are in the caverns underneath Ba Sing Se, Katara discovers a side of him she never knew. Where will this lead? Rated T for minor sexuality such as descriptive make-out scenes, etc...


A/N: So I noticed that there weren't really any epic Zutara stories out there in the wonderful subculture we call FFN, so I decided to write one. It's canon and takes place a little bit in the season two finale and after. Katara's POV. I didn't really feel like looking up the lines in the finale, but I know the basics of the conversation, so I'm just going to rewrite it my way, kay? R&R please!

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Zuko… but I don't. Or any other ATLA characters. Sorry.

I first really noticed him when he tried to take Aang the very first time. When he violently grabbed my grandmother and very nearly tried to threaten her life. He scared me so much back then. He was so angry. But beneath the anger was pain, and a drive to get rid of the pain, no matter the cost.

It's amazing how I got all that from one psychotic teenager with a dysfunctional family. The sad thing was, I sort of knew how he felt. Alone. Desperate for something to pull him out of the abyss he was slowly but surely falling into. I felt that a lot less than I first had when my mother was murdered, but every once in a while, it hit me, and I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. I think we were sort of connected by the fact that we were lost.

Then he kidnapped me. What a nightmare that was. I stood my ground, but I was scared. The Fire Prince had me captive, and I could do nothing. I admit, though, a small shiver that wasn't from fear went through me when he held my mother's betrothal necklace to my throat. I prayed that he wouldn't notice, and it seemed like he didn't, but who knows? He's a master at hiding his emotions.

I shoved those thoughts out of my head. I liked _Aang_. Not Zuko. Not Zuko. Zuko…

I was knocked unconscious with his name repeating itself through my rebellious mind.

I woke up on a hard surface, which seemed to be glowing. Odd. I was in a cavern with blue crystals not unlike the ones in the cave of Oma and Shu, the lovers. I sat up, rubbing my head. It all came back to me in a rush. The Kyoshi Warriors… weren't really the Kyoshi  
Warriors! They were Azula and her firebending cronies. And I'd dropped the plans for the invasion! I'd ruined everything.

The wall near me slid open, revealing two Dai Li traitors holding a young man, still a boy, actually, with shaggy black hair. They thrust him inside, then left, sealing the wall behind them. The boy fell on his hands and knees. He seemed somewhat familiar. He lifted up his head, and I gasped at the face of Prince Zuko. He quickly stood up and turned away from me. I didn't know what to say. Was there anything to say? I decided to play is safe and take the hostile route. He was still our enemy.

"This is a trap, right?" I challenged. "Aang will come to rescue me, and then you and capture him." Once I said it, I thought of how ridiculous it sounded, but it was already out of my mouth. Might as well roll with it.

He said nothing.

"Well, it won't work. Aang is a master at airbending and waterbending, and he's getting close to being a master with earthbending too. You can't beat him."

He suddenly whirled around, seemingly in a fury. "This isn't a trap," he hissed angrily. "My sister put me here so I can't mess up her plan. I'd rather be fighting her than your precious Avatar. What do you know anyway? You haven't had to deal with this war your whole life like I have!"

Now it was my turn to be mad. "You have no idea how this war has affected me. Me personally!" I nearly shrieked. Then, in a softer tone, turning my back to him in my moment of grief, I said, "The Fire Nation took my mother away from me." I reached up to finger the necklace around my neck, the only memento I had left of her.

I heard several hesitant steps, then a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry. I guess we have that in common."

"What?" I spun to face him, shocked.

"My mother is… gone. I'm not sure what happened, but I know my father had something to do with it." Anguish that matched my own flitted across his face for just a split second. My heart went out to him. Knowing that your own father had more than likely murdered your mother was much worse than what I'd gone through.

My eyes went to his scar. "I could heal that." I pointed. It was sort of out of context of the conversation, but I could. I wanted to.

"No, you can't." He tore away from me. I hadn't realized how close our bodies had gotten. "It's a scar. Nobody can heal it."

I reached out to his shoulder like he had to mine. "I might be able to. I have some water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It's supposed to have special healing powers. Maybe it can heal your scar." I waterbended it out of the special canister I had for it. I felt in my soul that I could heal Zuko's scar.

He turned around. "Do you want me to try?" I whispered. I wasn't sure if my words had a double meaning or not.

"What's your name?"

The question ripped my out of the moment. "What?"

"If it works, I want to be able to thank you properly. To do that, I need to know your name. What is it?" Stupid, polite princes with their etiquette. Secretly I was glad he'd pulled me away from the romantic tension, if there even was any. Maybe it was all in my head.

"I'm Katara. And I already know your name, Zuko. Now am I going to do this or not?" I was impatient. I wanted to know if this water was magical just as much as he did.

"Yes, do it, please." He shut his eyes. I pulled the water up near his face and held my breath. Then it touched his darkened skin, and it immediately became lighter and smoother. Not that I was touching it, but you could just tell. By looking. Not touching.

A minute passed and his previously disfigured face was completely healed. I tossed the water, knowing that with all those impurities in it, it would be useless for anything but poison.

I turned Zuko to face a smooth, reflective piece of crystal. "Look at yourself," I said, stepping out of the way so it would be only him in the reflection.

He looked. He lifted up a hand to feel his skin. He grabbed me and wrapped me in a huge, warm bear hug. Then he let go and coughed awkwardly. "Um, thank you, Katara."

"You're welcome." Before I could say anything else, a wall opened in the cavern. I braced myself for an attack from the Dai Li, but it was Toph, Sokka, Suki, Aang, and… Zuko's uncle? What was his name? Euro? Ori? No, it was…

"Uncle Iroh!" Zuko exclaimed. Yeah, it was that.

"Zuko!" They embraced, making everyone else feel distinctly uncomfortable. The self-consciousness was tangible. "What happened to your scar?"

"Katara healed it," Zuko said proudly, stepping aside to give Iroh a full view of me.

"Katara?" Aang jumped forward. "Is that true?" 

"Yeah…" I confirmed, now feeling guilty although I'd obviously done nothing wrong. If anything, I'd done a good thing. A very good thing! "I used the Spirit Water."

Aang used his airbending to rush forward and get in my face. "Why would you do that, Katara? Zuko is our enemy! You could have used it for something else! Something more…"

"More what, Aang?" I asked, getting very peeved. "Important? Well, I think it's pretty important to do good things for people. I helped him. Isn't helping people supposed to be the main focus of the Avatar? Maybe you need to reprioritize."

"Wh-what?" Aang sputtered. I felt deep satisfaction at knowing that I was right for once. I was the one who knew exactly what was going on, and I was the one who knew what was right and what was wrong. I was so sick of Aang being perfect. I was a good person too! I never got credit. I just had to grin and bear it, because he was the supremely powerful _Avatar_, and I couldn't do anything about that.

I'd had enough. I was putting my foot down.

"Aang, you aren't always right. You don't always do the right thing! Just because you think something's wrong doesn't mean that it is!" It was so great to say that, after so long of staying quiet and supporting whatever he did. Most of the time, Aang _did_ do the right thing, but this was not one of those times. Aang was wrong.

"Katara?" It was Zuko. In a back corner of my mind, I'd noticed that he and his uncle had been secretively whispering, but I'd been a bit preoccupied. "Aang, Toph, and Sokka…? I'd like permission to join your group."

I was shocked. Aang demanded, "Why? What use would you be? The team killer?"

I punched Aang lightly on the arm. I said, "No, he wouldn't. He's not a killer. What would you do, Zuko?"

"Well…" He scratched his head, not thinking, but feeling somewhat awkward. "I was thinking that my uncle and I could teach Aang firebending."

Aang did not like that idea. "No! I'm never firebending again, and even if I did, I wouldn't want you to teach me!" I punched him yet again, a bit more forcefully this time.

"Aang, get over yourself. You have to learn firebending, and there aren't many people who would offer. We're letting them come with us," I said firmly.

"No!"

"Toph, Sokka, Suki, please help me talk some sense into him before we get attacked again," I pleaded wearily

"Aang, I hate to say this, but I think Katara's right," Sokka said. How much do I love my brother? Very much.

"Me too," Toph said.

Only Suki looked doubtful. "I don't know, Katara. I don't know if we can trust him."

"He owes me." I explained this as I thought of it. "He won't hurt any of us. Ever."

"I swear," Zuko added, supporting me. I flashed him a small smile in thanks. "I will not harm you, and neither will my uncle."

Eventually, we all came to an agreement. Zuko and Iroh would travel with us and teach Aang firebending, and if they betrayed us, we would show no mercy.

Then we jetted out of there before Azula and the Dai Li could attack us, against my better judgment. I think we should have stayed to fight, at least tried to defend Ba Sing Se. I was overruled. I guess I'd gotten my way enough for one day.

A/N: So what do you think? This is more of a prologue than anything else, sort of setting up the rest of the story. It's only like four and a half pages, but that's more than enough for a prologue, right? R&R please! Reviews motivate me! I will try to update at least once a week, maybe even more than that, but reviews will help me! Love you all!

xoxo, Katie


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